German national Christiane Gehron Ree was turned away from her polling station in Wolvercote.

She told the Mail: "My name was on the electoral register, but there was a line going through it, and a letter ‘G’ was written at the end. At first I thought it stands for “German”, but then the lady volunteering at the polling station opened a booklet and found out that it means I’m allowed to vote only in local government elections.

"It’s ridiculous. I’ve previously voted in the UK in the European Elections and I never had to register in order to do so. This time I got a letter saying I need to fill out a form and send it back, so I did – the form was posted through the letterbox at Oxford Town Hall, as required, well before the deadline. I never got any reply, but I thought it means it is all fine. And then I have been actively deprived of my right to vote despite fulfilling the unexpected new requirement.

"It is difficult not to suspect something sinister, as a form of government preventing EU citizens from voting. Mrs May said she didn’t want to have these elections in the first place. There are 3 million EU citizens living in the UK, it seems they are not really welcomed to vote in the EU elections in the UK. Most of them do not nevertheless, but not because they don’t want to, but there is very little information about that possibility.

"I thought I lived in a democratic country. And now there are tons of people in my situation. It is really a nasty experience."

In response, the Electoral Commission has said the 'very short notice' from the government impeded the voting process:

"We understand the frustration of some citizens of other EU Member States, resident in the UK, who have been finding they are unable to vote today when they wish to do so.

"All eligible EU citizens have the right to vote in the EU elections in their home Member State. If an EU citizen instead chooses to vote in the EU election in the UK, there is a process for them to complete to essentially transfer their right to vote, from their home Member State to the UK. This is a requirement of EU law, which specifies that this has to be done “sufficiently in advance of polling day”. UK law sets this as 12 working days in advance of the poll.

"This legal process could be made easier for citizens, and the Commission made the case for doing so following the last EU elections in 2014. However, improvements to the process are reliant on changes to electoral law, which can only be taken forward by Government and Parliament.

"The very short notice from the government of the UK’s participation in these elections impacted on the time available for awareness of this process amongst citizens, and for citizens to complete the process. EU citizens’ right to vote in the election in their home Member State remains unaffected by the change in the UK’s participation; in order to do so, they would need to be registered in that country in accordance with that country’s process and timetable."

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here